


Freedom Vs. Justice

by Stormlight8



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, My version of what happens after Ace's Story, What happens to Isuka?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:07:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25452883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormlight8/pseuds/Stormlight8
Summary: What is freedom?  What is justice?  When Isuka learns of Vice Admiral Draw's lies concerning the fire that took her parents, her own world - her ideals and beliefs - go up in flames as well.  Deciding to not only protect the people, she roots out corrupt marines.  All goes well until Whitebeard's second division commander, Portgas D. Ace, gets executed., which leads Isuka to her ultimate goal - to climb the ranks of the marines so she can personally change the navy for the better.
Relationships: Isuka & Portgas D. Ace
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

Isuka stared at the man before her, and blinked, unimpressed. "I'm sorry, sir," she deadpanned, not in the least bit sorry. "I've requested a transfer out of your division."

Vice Admiral Draw lay in a bed in the med-bay with burns covering his arms - fitting, she thought, fingers twitching, when the scars marked on her hands were Draw's doing, even if she had only just realized it. His face also appeared an ugly purple, the kind that stayed for weeks on end. Isuka felt a spark of gratitude towards Fire Fist.

 _Draw certainly deserved the beating Fire Fist gave him_ , she thought bitterly.

"Why?" Draw demanded, face drawn into a repulsive frown. "You are an Ensign under my command, and -"

"It's already been approved, Vice Admiral," she continued. "I will from this point on I will be under the direction of Captain Smoker in Loguetown."

Isuka had done her research - many pirates stopped at Loguetown to commemorate the late Pirate King, almost as if they were asking his blessing before they sailed to the Grand Line. However, there was an officer there with the rank of a captain - and he let not even one pirate escape, which could be a good thing....or a bad thing.

Catching pirates was good and all, but at what cost? Draw didn't consider the cost, but did Captain Smoker? Thus, Isuka would go and investigate. She wouldn't let any more people be murdered for the marines' so called 'justice'.

Draw studied her, still looking so.....dissatisfied. Usually, that look would have her snapping to attention, eager to prove herself. "Why would you go from the Grand Line to the weakest of all the Blues, Ensign?"

Isuka lifted her chin - she wouldn't be intimidated by him ever again. In fact, she knew for a fact that he wouldn't even be a marine for much longer. Around a week ago she had contacted Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp. He was, she knew, one of the better marines, and she knew that he would take the necessary steps involving Draw.

'Necessary' meaning he'd be fired. Garp hadn't even asked any questions - he'd just laughed and told her "okay".

"As I am no longer under your supervision, sir, I am under no obligation to answer you," she said.

Draw's face became so red it made his already purple face look blotchy. "As a Vice Admiral I order you to tell me why you are getting a transfer -"

She turned to leave. "Vice Admiral?" she heard herself say. "We don't have room in the navy for scum like you."

Draw spat at her, ranting something about pirates. Pirates, pirates, pirates - an excuse, she called it, to cause wanton chaos. But she didn't listen long, because she was already out the door.

Once out of the room, she gave a deep sigh of relief and sagged against the wall. Wiping the water from her eyes, she stayed there for a couple of minutes.

After she had learned that Draw wasn't the man she thought he was, she felt lost. Like she was stuck in a stormy ocean with no log pose to guide her out.

Even now, it hurt to see that illusion stripped away. But she couldn't let other families suffer at the corrupt hands of the marines, who twist the navy's ideology into something unrecognizable, be hurt by such people.

The marines protected people, and that was what she had sworn to do - and so she would. From pirates or fellow marines, so be it.

If pirates could be good, it only made sense that marines could be bad.


	2. Chapter 2

Isuka stared at the platform, the place where the Pirate King had met his end. It, and the man's death, had become the catalyst to the new era of pirates. It led towards the insanity that had become the present.

But she couldn't help but not blame the man. Pirates weren't bad people - some just sought after adventure and freedom on the open ocean. Isuka had to admit, the temptation of the freedom of the ocean was strong. When faced with Fire Fist's offer, she had almost taken it.....

She shook her head and bit her lip. Her? Become a bounty hunter? Isuka honestly couldn't see it. Fire Fist's offer had been genuine though, and sometimes she wondered 'what if'. What if she had gone with him and chosen to become a bounty hunter? 

Would the heavy burden of responsibility still weigh on her shoulders?

(Probably.)

Turning away from the execution platform, she walked through the busy streets of Loguetown - vendors were calling out items and prices, and enticing aromas floated through the air. A hot spot for tourists and pirates alike, Loguetown was the place to go.

The marine base stationed in Loguetown seemed to have less activity than Loguetown itself - she recalled seeing marine squads patrolling the town. Smoker, it seemed, ran a tight ship. The marines caused no inconveniences towards the civilians, so Isuka supposed that she approved of Smoker's squads - stopping the violence before it got a chance to break out.

Some marines were training in the courtyard, and Isuka passed by them. Walking, she collided with another person, who apparently had deemed it a good idea to read while walking. The other person stumbled to the floor, and Isuka rubbed her smarting shoulder. The title of the book caught her eye - it was some sword catalog. 

"You like swords?" Isuka asked.

The woman on the ground fumbled with her glasses, which she perched on the bridge of her nose. "Oh, yes!" she exclaimed, quickly picking it up and getting to her feet. "I'm a swordsman, and I have to be a good one too if I plan on collecting the legendary swords - but forgive me, I wasn't looking where I was going...."

"No worries," Isuka said smiling and held her hand out to the other woman. "My name is Isuka."

The woman's eyebrows shot up. "Oh! You're the Ensign that's arriving today! Captain Smoker's probably expecting you..." the woman shook her hand, practically juggling with her book and sword. "My name is Tashigi. The Master Chief Petty Officer here."

"Could you show me to Captain Smoker's office?" Isuka asked. "I know you must have things to do, but I don't really know my way around here very well."

Tashigi nodded. "Of course, I was just heading there anyways." the swordsman glanced at the rapier on Isuka's hip. "You're a swordsman as well?"

Isuka nodded, and they began walking again. "I'm not out to become the best, or to reclaim the legendary swords, or any goal such as that, but yes. My only hope is that with these skills I can protect people."

Isuka found Tashigi staring at her. "That's very admirable."

She shrugged. "I guess so." But she didn't do it for the admiration of others, or the fame and fortune and whatnot. It was simply the right thing to do.

They stopped at a door, and Tashigi knocked briskly, then opened the door, saluting. "Captain Smoker, sir! Ensign Isuka has arrived!"

Isuka studied her new superior, and he studied her. The first thing she noticed was his stark white hair, and stern look paired with it. Even his two cigars contributed to the air that he was cool, calm, and collected.

He probably only saw a girl who had run back to the East Blue, tail between her legs. Compared to his experience, she was naïve and ignorant of the true dangers of the Grand Line.

Unfortunately, she knew all too well - not that she was in the East Blue to run away, though. Far from it. 

"Tashigi," he said, voice rough. "You're dismissed."

Tashigi saluted again. "Sir!"

The two of them said nothing as the girl closed the door to the office. Smoker's eyes had never let her. "Ensign," he said. "Why is it that you left the Grand Line to come here?"

Isuka raised her head higher. "I desired a change of pace. Sir."

Smoker shuffled some papers around. "It says here that there was an issue between yourself and your past superior officer. Is that true?"

He was all business, completely blunt, so Isuka told him the truth. "Affirmative, sir. It had been recently discovered that....that Vice Admiral Draw had murdered my family, _innocent civilians_ , while chasing a pirate." She couldn't help the bite in her tone. "Wouldn't you agree that his punishment was just? Wouldn't you agree that he violated our code, and warped our sacred duty?"

Something flashed in Smoker's eyes. Approval? Caution? She couldn't say. "I see - a change of pace..."

She clenched her hands. Isuka had to - no, needed to do this. Pirates may be considered evil, but at least they wore their allegiance on their sleeves. Marines, however, were blindsiding scum - one never knew where their treachery would hit, and for her that was a billion times worse.

"Sir," Isuka began, unable to help herself - she'd never been one to hold her tongue, and that wouldn't start now. "I would like to formally issue a request."

Smoker didn't even blink. "Spit it out, then."

"I would like to survey other marine bases," she continued. "To...to get more of an idea of what marine bases are like on land."

Or, as Isuka meant it: _"To expose those who would dare distort the marine's code of honor"._

Smoker seemed to get it. "I won't stop you from doing it," he said, but the glint in his eye told her he wasn't done. "Make sure it won't interfere in your duties here. Got it?"

That...that was it? He wasn't going to deny her this, but instead gave her his approval?

She smiled. It was drained and tired, but it was real. "Thank you, sir."


End file.
